Letters Home
by Risknight
Summary: Tohru and Hatori correspond while she is in England at college. Will Tohru ever return, if only for a visit?


**December **

_Dear Hatori-san,_

_Thank you for the wonderful book. I have already begun reading it. You were right. The characters do remind me of my Shigure and Ayame. Such pranksters, they are! Momiji told me you had been tired lately. I hope you are taking good care of yourself. Please do not work too hard. Take a few minutes and enjoy the holidays for me, since I cannot be there. It is nearly exam time here, and I have much studying to do. Merry Christmas. _

_Sincerely,Tohru Honda_

_p.s. Please tell everyone I miss them. Especially Kisa._

Hatori smiled softly as he re-read the letter again. Miss Honda had moved to England 6 months ago to attend college after the short-lived romance between her and Kyo ended. No one knew exactly what had happened. Only that one day Kyo moved to the dojo, and Tohru asked Akito if she would give her a good referral for a loan to go to college. Instead, Akito had insisted on paying Tohru's entire tuition. She had packed the day she got accepted, and left by the end of the week. Tohru had pleaded with Shigure and Akito not to throw a party. Instead, she had ask for a quiet dinner with just the women of the zodiac and her friend's Uo and Hana to be followed by a lunch the next day with Aya, Gure, and himself.

He received a letter about every other week from her. Yuki and Momiji got one about once every two months. He knew Aya, Kagura, Rin and Kisa got emails, and she tended to call Gure once a month. Mostly because he had a tendency to mail her letters back after subtly rewriting passages to make them more suggestive. And she never failed to call Akito every Sunday. He knew this because even when Akito was ill, or angry, she would drop everything just before 6pm to talk to her friend.

Hatori frowned slightly as he looked at the photograph she had sent along. It was a group from her dorm, all wrapped in blankets around a bonfire. She was sitting between two large boys who were leaning into her a though to shield her from the camera. She was laughing at something, eyes sparkling. On the back she had written "_**Halloween Bonfire on campus. Me, my flat mates, and some guys from the rugby team. We almost burned the lawn trying to make smores!**_ "

He told himself he was just concerned because he didn't want her hurt in a bonfire. But the little voice in the back of his mind kept pointing out the hulking young men beside her. And how content she looked sitting between them.

**April **

_Dear Hatori-san, _

_How are you? School is going well. I have just received my final grades for this term and I was in the top 15% of every class (except math) so I am very pleased. My student supervisor has acquired a summer job for me with one of the hotels near here. I will only be an assistant to the Manager, but it sounds very exciting. Since I will not be there when Kureno's birthday comes in May, will you please give him the present I have sent along with this letter? I was not sure what to get him, so I decided to be practical and send him a nice wallet. _

_Thank you for having Kisa send me the pictures from the Spring festival. I know it was you who suggested it. Otherwise, Kisa would only have sent pictures of her and Hiro. I especially liked the one of the Mabudachi Trio! You looked very handsome. Please take care and do not work too hard. Especially now that Spring is here!_

_Sincerely,Tohru Honda_

Hatori sighed. So once again she would not be traveling home during her break between semesters. Her letters were still coming on a regular basis, but he was beginning to suspect a slow withdrawal from the Sohma's. Her emails were no longer individually sent. They were grouped to Yuki, Momiji, Rin, Kagura, Gure and Aya. Only Kisa still got an individual one. Akito still received her phone calls every week. But slowly, she was beginning to omit person tidbits. She would talk about school, or her friends, but rarely did she mention herself. Even the news of her job was short and lacked any real detail. Hatori removed the wrapped gift from the small package and placed it in his desk. Then he gently folded the letter and placed it in his locked file cabinet, along with all the others.

**July **

_Dear Hatori-san,_

_Happy Birthday! I hope you are having a huge party! I hope you like your gift. It is kind of silly, I know, but it reminded me of the day I first visited you. Enjoy your day, and eat a piece of cake for me!_

_Sincerely,Tohru Honda_

He smiled at the whimsical card he held. The front was a cartoon dragon wearing a party hat and using it's fire breathing ability to light the candles on a cake. He ran a hand across the brightly colored wrapping paper before carefully opening the gift. Inside was a snow globe. He held it up to the light and saw a sea reef inside. Tiny little wires anchored a sea horse, turtle and dolphin in the water. He shook it gently and watched a flurry of starfish shaped glitter float around the scene.

Every night he would give it a shake before going to bed.

**November **

_Dear Hatori-san,_

_Thank you for asking me to come back for Christmas. I am sorry that I will disappoint you and the others, but I cannot. I wish sometimes that things had turned out differently, but as my friend Samantha says, it is what it is. Please believe me when I say I am happy here. I do not think I would be happy there. Not right now. Maybe not for a long time. I will understand if you are angered by my refusal. Please forgive me, if you will. Do not doubt that I miss you and that I love you all. _

_Sincerely,Tohru Honda_

Hatori poured himself a drink and watched the snow fall outside. He had hesitated to ask. He should have resisted completely. Instead he had allowed Kisa and Shigure to convince him to ask her to travel home for the holiday. He ran a hand through his hair. He had wanted her to come back himself. He was worried about her. Almost 18 months since she had left, and he was starting to see real signs of her withdrawal from the family. Her letters only came once a month now. Her emails even more infrequently. Only Akito was contacted regularly. And she had always been surprisingly silent on the subject of Tohru. Her letter was so formal this time. No talk of her classes or friends. No anecdotes about her job. Just a polite refusal.

He stood there for a long time, watching the snow cover everything in a frozen blanket. He didn't even notice Akito arrive.

She stood beside him and tugged the letter from his hand. He wanted to snatch it back. It was his. Instead he only turned to watch the flakes.

Akito's voice was soft. "Kyo hit her." Hatori's head whipped around. She was looking out over the garden. "She discovered he had cheated on her. When she confronted him about it, he laughed and said he was a cat, after all. And cats could not be tied down. She was upset, crying. He got angry and hit her accidentally." Akito turned her gray eyes to his and he saw the empathy there. "When she came to me about leaving for a college so far away, I asked why she did not just attend university with Yuki. She began to cry and told me everything. That is why I did not object too much to her going so far away, and why I offered to pay. She was so hurt. So broken by his words and actions. I know you have seen the way Kyo flitters through girlfriends. I know most think it is because she left, but they are wrong. It's why she left."

Akito folded the letter and handed it back to him. "She tries hard to be happy. But when the curse lifted, no one needed her anymore. She felt useless. Kyo's betrayal was much more devastating because of that." Hatori took back the letter and leaned against the door frame.

"Maybe she wasn't needed anymore, Akito. But she was never unwanted." He turned and walked away, clutching the letter.

**May **

_Dear Hatori-san,_

_Thank you for the birthday present. I really enjoyed looking through the album at all the pictures. It was very nice to see how much everyone had changed and grown. Momiji looks quite the ladies man. I love the way Kisa has grown her hair out. Yuki and Machi look very happy together. I hope you are not working too hard. Take care of yourself . _

_Sincerely,Tohru Honda_

He was startled to see his hands shaking slightly. So polite. So formal. Almost as if they were strangers. It was the first letter since February. And that letter had merely wished everyone a happy Valentine's Day and an assurance that she was doing well. He lit up a cigarette and sat down on the porch.

**October **

_Dear Hatori-san,_

_I am sorry it has been so long since my last letter. There is not much going on here. Just more school and more work. Autumn has arrived in full force. The colors of the trees are so vivid. I have come to love England. It' s not the same as home, but it has it's own beauty. I wish you could see it. There are irises that bloom near here that are the same color as your eyes. I hope you are well. Please do not work too hard._

_Sincerely,Tohru Honda._

It was the first letter he had received in five months. He had begun to give up hope. Only Akito and Kisa had heard from her in all that time. He had even found himself carefully questioning Kisa a couple of times for information. He was just worried about her well-being, he told himself. Nothing more than that. So he ignored the way his shoulders had relaxed when he saw the envelope. He ignored the curious flip of his stomach at her concern for him. But he was very careful to fold her letter and store it away safely.

**December **

_Dear Hatori-san,_

_It is snowing here. Everywhere I look I see great mounds of snow. Everything is white and clean. It would be wonderful if it wasn't so cold. My flat mates and I are planning on going out later on today. Last year I ended up with a sprained ankle when I tried to learn to ski, so this year I am going to try sledding instead. That way if I crash, I will already be on my bottom! After all, I do not wish an injury when my favorite doctor is so far away! I do not like to brag, but I made the top 5% of my classes this time around. Even in calculus! Can you believe it? I hope you are well. Please take care, and have a wonderful Christmas!_

_Sincerely,Tohru Honda_

He smiled at the image of Tohru trying to ski. Then his mind brought up the image of her bottom and he flushed deeply. Where had that come from?

**January **

_Dear Hatori-san,_

_Another year! How was the banquet? How was Hiro's dance? Kisa would only tell me over and over how handsome he was. Ahh, young love! Hee hee. Well, it is the start of a new semester here. This time around my classes are really hard. My flat mate and I are joining a new study group for the psych classes. I am determined to do my best though. I need a good grade in these courses if I want a good reference when I graduate. I owe all of this to you, you know. You are the one who encouraged me to study child psychology. I truly love it, too. How are you doing? I hope you are taking care of yourself. Please do notwork too hard._

_Sincerely,Tohru Honda_

He hurriedly stuffed the letter into his pocket when he heard his cousin's voices outside. He cringed a bit as he felt it wrinkle, but he would have liked sharing it with them even less. As far as he knew, no one knew she was writing to him again. Besides the one in October, he had received two letters in December, a Happy New Years card and this one for January so far. He had no idea what had made her begin writing to him again. He was afraid to ask, to be honest. What if she got upset, or thought he was complaining. She would probably never write him again, and he couldn't stand the thought of that. So, he kept the missives to himself as Shigure and Ayame burst into his living room like spoiled teens.

**February **

_Dear Hatori-san,_

_It's Valentine's Day here. I keep wishing I was there to hand out chocolates to everyone. The custom here is so different. The boys present the girls with candy, flowers or perfume. Usually they go on a date, also. It is so strange to me, but kind of fun too. It is still a bit cold here but spring is just around the corner. I cannot wait for the flowers to begin blooming here. The field's are so colorful and bright. I wish you could see them. Please take care of yourself. I worry because you tend to work so hard._

_Sincerely,Tohru Honda._

She sent him chocolates. They were dark chocolate with macadamia nuts inside. He wondered if she had given out chocolates at her university. Secretly he hoped not. He sighed and gave himself a mental slap. He was acting like a love struck adolescent. Then again, she had always had that effect on him. He poured himself a scotch and opened the container of Tohru-made chocolates. "Happy Valentines Day, Tohru," he whispered.

He was feeling slightly drunk by the time he crawled into bed. He had read her letter several times. He had poured a drink so he could toast her for Valentine's day. Then he had toasted her social life. Then he had just toasted her. Several times. It sounded like she was finally getting over Kyo. Now she could move past the hurt and find someone to love her as she deserved. That was a good thing. Right?

**March **

_Dear Hatori-san,_

_I hope you are well. Akito told me you had been ill but seemed to be recovering. You work too hard. You should take a break. I know it is not much notice, and comes 'out of the blue' but I was thinking about making a short trip back over the summer break. I would like to see mom. If it is not too much trouble, would it be okay if I slept on your couch? I know Haru and Momiji are living with Shigure and Yuki now, so I do not want to bother them. I will understand if you say no. Remember, do not work too hard anymore, please? I worry about you._

_Sincerely,Tohru Honda_

He had alternated between panic, joy and fear these last couple of days. He had written her a quick note to tell her he would be honored to have her visit before he could think about it. He knew if he hesitated he would have found many reasons to say no. How he felt about her, how hard it would be to know she was asleep in the next room, how wrong it was to feel like this when he was a decade older than her.

He knew everyone else was aware she was coming back. Akito had been constantly throwing fits about the decorations in the main house. Kisa and Kagura had spent the week making grand plans to occupy every second of her visit. Momiji and Shigure were moping that she was not staying with them. Even Kyo had taken to hanging around the estate more than usual. It was the one thing that irritated Hatori the most. He had seen the smug look on the cat's face when he heard the news.

Tohru was due to arrive in the morning, so Hatori was going to bed early. He didn't want her thinking he wasn't following her instructions to take it easy. His phone rang, and he looked at the clock. What could Shigure or Ayame need at 9pm? He almost ignored it, but that action was likely to result in whichever one it was coming to see him.

"Hello," he said tersely, hoping to make this quick.

"Hello, Hatori-san," came her gentle voice.

"Tohru?!" Why was she calling? Had she changed her mind about visiting? About staying with him? "Is everything okay?"

She laughed softly. "Yes, I am fine. Umm, just out of curiosity, is everyone planning on a big gathering tomorrow?"

"Yes," he replied wryly. "Shigure and Haru are probably still arguing over which one will pick you up at the airport, Akito has ordered a feast, and the girls are filling your schedule as we speak." He decided not to mention Kyo.

She sighed softly. "I was afraid of that. It is a good thing I planned ahead. Well, with your help it will be."

Hatori frowned. "What do you need, Tohru?"

"A ride." He could almost hear her smile. "I caught an earlier flight. I am at the airport right now."

He almost dropped the phone as he lunged for the shirt he had already stripped off. "I will be there in 20 minutes." He heard her thank him as he hung up the receiver. Soon he was headed toward the airport. Toward Tohru.

His eyes widened as soon as he saw her. No longer was she the innocent looking teen he had watched leave. She was beautiful. Her hair was lighter, smooth waves that ended just above her shoulders. Her body had matured resulting in more lush curves. Her legs, encased in jeans, seemed to go on forever. He almost groaned out loud as his body reacted. She was a woman now. There was experience in her eyes now. A certainty of her self worth in the way she moved toward him. Her lips were curved up into a wide smile and as soon as she was within reach of him, she wrapped her arms around his waist. He held her close and felt her snuggle in as far as she could.

After a moment, she looked up at him. He was surprised to see hesitation in her eyes. She realized he had noticed and ducked her head. "Let us get out of here. Questions can wait." She only had one suitcase, and he grabbed it before leading her to the car. She slipped her arm through his and smiled softly. "Thank you for coming for Hatori-san. I should have called days ago and asked. I hope you are not upset with me for keeping you up."

Hatori stopped suddenly and looked into her face calmly. "I have never been upset with you. And I will always come get you if you want." Tohru's eyes filled with joy and she hugged his arm tightly.

The trip to his home was quiet. He could tell there was something on her mind, but he knew she would tell him when she was wanted to. The main house was silent and they managed to get inside without anyone seeing them. Hatori took her luggage to his room, while insisting she would sleep there, and he would take the couch. He expected an argument from her, and had prepared counter arguments. Instead she was silent. He turned and saw her standing in the doorway. She was worrying her bottom lip a he spoke. When he grew quiet she seemed to gather her courage around her and step forward.

"Last April, Akito told me something I did not believe." Tohru stepped closer. "She told me that you cared a great deal for me." She watched closely as he became flushed. She stopped when they were close enough to feel each other's breaths. "Was that true, Hatori? Do you have feelings for me that go beyond friendship?"

He closed his eyes and cursed Akito for telling her. He almost jumped when she placed a small hand on his chest. His eyes popped open and he looked at her.

"Please," she said softly. "I need to know. I need to know if I am just deluding myself with the hope that Akito was right. Is there any chance that you could ever love me as I love you?"

Hatori's knees gave out and he landed on the bed, completely dazed. "Tohru….you ..love me?"

She ducked her head and nodded. "It started about 16 months ago," she mumbled. "It was your letters, you see. The more you wrote to me, the more I learned about you, and I began to care for you. It was not until last February that I realized I was in love with you. So when Akito told me, I stopped writing you. I had to. I had to figure out if what I felt was real, or if it was me rebounding from what Kyo did. You deserve a woman who will love you wholly and completely. I desperately want to be that woman. So, please tell me, is there any chance for me?"

Hatori couldn't speak. Her words had wiped his away. So he did the only thing he could. He drew her into his arms and kissed her with all the love and passion he had. He groaned as she melted into him. Everything fell away. There was no banquet, no family, no words. Only him and her.

They woke to the frantic sounds of knocking. Quickly he threw a blanket over their naked bodies just before his bedroom door burst open. Shigure, Ayame, Akito and Kagura stumbled in talking rapidly about a missing Tohru. He had a hard time following them since they kept talking over each other.

"Hatori, she wasn't on the plane!" Kagure cried.

"What should we do? We have to find her!" Ayame yelled.

"How can you just lay there in bed?! Tohru is missing!" Akito screeched.

"My poor little flower! Haa-kun, you have to get up and…." Shigure suddenly noticed the abundance of lumps in the bed.

Hatori sighed and tried to shield Tohru from sight. "Tohru is not missing."

The other three were still talking over one another, so Shigure elbowed them all and jerked his head toward the bed.

Everyone's jaw dropped as Tohru slipped up behind Hatori's back, using his back to block her nudity. "Ummm, good morning," she said warily. She settled her chin on Hatori's shoulder. "I got in last night. I guess we should have left you a note or something, huh?"

Hatori grinned at the shock on his family's faces. He roguishly turned his head to capture her lips for a searing kiss. "I might have thought of that if I hadn't been busy trying to fend off your advances."

Tohru laughed with delight. "Which you failed at miserably."

Hatori turned toward her and pulled her against him. She wiggled her hips against his growing arousal wickedly. "Are you trying to seduce me again, Miss Honda?"

"Undoubtedly," she smiled.

"Close the door on your way out," he called over his shoulder. Then he captured her lips and let the world fall away again.

Ayame and Shigure were pulled from the room by Akito and Kagura quickly. As soon as all four were standing out on the porch, Akito sent Kagura off to let everyone else know Tohru was fine. Once she was out of earshot, the three broke out into huge smiles. Ayame immediately began designing Tohru's wedding dress in his head. Shigure began writing a new novel about a doctor and a student in his. Akito congratulated herself internally. She knew all Tohru had needed was a push to realize the dragon loved her. Soon she would truly be a member of the family. Maybe a beautiful May wedding, she mused with happiness.


End file.
